Wringer control



F. s. WHEELER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 WRINGER CONTROL Filed Sept. lO, 193'?lNvEmoR Whse/elf WITNESSYES: dmm.

F/oya S BYl Jan. 17, 1939. F. s. WHEELER l 2,144,473

WRINGER CONTROL Filed'Sept. 1.0, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR yJan;17,1939.- E. WHEELER 2,144,473

' wRINER CONTROL I y Filed Sept. 1o, 1937 4 sheets-sheet 4 Patented Jan.17, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE WRINGER CONTROL PennsylvaniaApplication September 10, 1937, Serial No. 163,194

12 Claims.

My invention relates to power-driven wringers and more particularly tothe control of the reversing mechanism and the locking device for suchWringers.

With those wringers now known to the art, it is customary to mount themupon supporting means in such a manner that the wringer may be adjustedor swung into a'plurality` of working positions about a'vertical axiswhich is usually the wringer drive shaft. It is necessary to lock suchwringers to prevent them from rotating about the vertical axis when suchwringers are connected to the wringer drive shafts. If the wringershould not be locked while having a Working connection with the driveshaft, such Wringer is liable, While under load, to swing about thevertical axis and seriously injure-an operator.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide a locking devicewhich cannot be unlocked when the wringer rolls are operativelyconnected withthe power shaft.

To prevent the wringer swinging about the vertical axis, it has beennecessary with most wringers known to the art to use two'handles 0rcontrols, one to regulate the transmission between the wringer rolls andthe power shaft and the second to regulate the loclnng device. With suchWringers it is possible for the operator to accidentally disconnect thelocking device while the wringer is under load, under whichcircumstances the wringer would rotate about the vertical axis and causeserious injury to the operator if she were struck by such rotatingwringer.

With those wringers having a single handle to control both thetransmission and the locking device, it has been necessary to have thelocking device unlocked while the transmission has been in a neutralposition. This requires the wringer to be very accurately lined up witha locking plate to permit the cooperation of the locking devicetherewith before the wringer can be operatively associated with thepower shaft.

It is, therefore, a further object of my invention to provide asingle-handle controlling device which will selectively operate eitherthe transmission or the locking device, only when the transmission is ina neutral position, and will permit the handle and the transmission tobe in a neutral position without unlocking the locking device.

A further object of my invention is to provide a wringer controlmechanism which will be simple to operate and inexpensive to manufactureand which will be fool-proof and positive in action.

Other objects of my invention will either be pointed out specifically inthe course of the following description of a device embodying myinvention, or will be apparent from such description.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is anl elevational View partly in sectionV of a wringerembodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial end elevational View of the wringen, with. thecontrol mechanism in one of its operative positions;

Fig. 3 is a partialU sectional view taken along line III-III of Fig. 5;

Fig; 4 is an enlarged'sectional view of the device shown in Fig. 1;V

Fig. 5 is a partial sectional View similar to Fig. 4, with the controlmechanism in one of its operative positions;

Fig. 6V is a partial sectional View taken along the-line VI--VI' of Fig.4;

Fig. '7 is a partial sectional view similar to Fig. 3, but with theoperative mechanism in. a second. operative position, as shown in Fig.5;

Fig. 8 is a partial sectional view of a modified form. of a portion ofthe operating mechanism embodying' my invention; A

Fig. 9 isa sectionalv View taken along line .IX- IX of Fig. 8, with theoperating mechanism in one of its operative positions;

Fig. 10 is a.sectional view similar to Fig. 9 with theoperatingmechanism in a second operating position; and

Fig. 11 is a partial sectional View similar to Fig. 4, showing amodification of the control mechanism.

Referring to the accompanying: drawings, 1 show a wringer II having'ahousing I2 with rolls I3v and I4- therein', a transmission housing orhead I5 having a suitable reversing transmission I6 therein, a controlmechanism I'I, a locking device I8 and a power shaft I9 operativelyassociated with the transmission I6.

The'wringer rolls I Sand I4 are movably and rotatably supported withinthe wringer housing l2 in any suitable manner and are driven through ashaft 21 which may be operatively associated with the driven gear 29 bymeans of any. suitable coupling means 28. As my invention will workequally well with any wringer structure, the exact method ofconstruction and operation of the wringer rolls and of av pressuredevice therefor are not shown.

The transmission gearing I6 located within the transmission housing orhead I5 may comprise a well-known reversing mechanismV such as driven 53located on the pin 5I.

may have a tapered snout 51 on the end thereof gear 29 and drivingpinions 33 and 34. The pinions 33 and 34 may be rotatably mounted uponthe drive shaft I9 which may be rotatably journaled within the sleeve 30and the depending hollow boss 3l, both of which may be an integral partof the housing I5. A suitable clutching member 32 may be splined to theshaft I9 .and

may have teeth or protruding portions 36 tooperatively engage thecorresponding slotted or notched portions 3S of the pinions 33 and 34,

respectively. Y

the stub shaft 43. The irregularly slotted portion 45 comprises a mainslotted portion 41 and a tapered slotted portion 48. The main slottedportion 41 extends through the stub shaft 43 and within the shoulderportion 45, and is of such a shape that it will readily'permit theaccess and free operation of the linger portion 42 of the bell cranklever therein. The bell crankV operating lever 40 may be swingablymounted.Y

within the stub shaft 43 by means of a. pin 43. The operating handleportion 4I will then be vertical while the nger portion 42'will behorizontally supported within the stub shaft 43.

A pin 31 may be'eccentrically mounted upon the shoulder portion of thestub shaft 43 and may be operatively associated with clutch member 32,by being engaged within an annularY groove 35 located within such clutchmember. A loosely tting sleeve V38 may be placed over the pin 31 to actas a bearing between such pin and the clutch member 32.

`The locking device I8 comprises a yoke member and a locking pin 5I. Theyoke member 50 may have a lipY portion 54 Vand a shoulder located on theinner Vportion thereof. The locking pin 5I may be removably attached tothe yoke member 50 by means of a cotter pin V52 and maybe biaseddownwardly by the re-V silient spring member 53 which may operatebetween' a portion of the housing I5 and a shoulder The locking pin '5Ito facilitate such locking pin in cooperating with a locking plate V25which may be rigidly attached to a washing tub 24 by means .of support25, or in any other suitable manner.

The yoke member 5D of the locking device I8 may be mounted within theannular notch 44 of stub shaft 43. With Vthe operating lever 40 and yokememberV 50 mounted as hereinabove described, the finger 42 will belocated'within the yoke member SEI.` With the handle in a normalposition, the yoke member 50 will remain within the notched portion 44and will be biased'downwardly by the action of the resilient member 53which operates upon the locking pin 5I. Should the handle 4I be actuatedor forced inwardly laway from a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 5,

the finger portion 42 will be swung arcuately upward about the pin 49within the tapered notch portion 48. As the linger member 42 movesup-Vwardly, the yoke member 50 is carried along device I8 and the finger 42downwardly. Should the locking pin 5I be located over an aperture 23Ylocated within the latching plate 25, the resilient member 53 willforce the locking pin 5I within the aperture 23 and the yoke 50, beingoperatively associated with the locking pin 5I, will likewise be biaseddownwardly. Due to the downward action of the yoke 5U, the finger 42 ofthe bell crank member 40 will be biased downwardly causing the handle 4Ito return to a vertical position.

It is, therefore, obvious that the handle 4I, swingably mounted upon thestub shaft 43, will readily operate the locking device I8V and that suchhandle 4I will bein a vertical position when the locking pin 5I isoperatively associated with the locking plate `25.

Should the stub-shaft 43 be rotated and bellcrank operating lever 40 beslightly rotated about the stub shaft 43 as an axis, so that theoperating handle 4I will be rotated slightly from the vertical position,as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 3, the nger 42 will be inrsuch aposition that it may become operatively associated with the upperportion aof the yoke 50. With Vthe bell-crank member located in such aposition, it is obvious that should an inward application of force beapplied to the control handle 4I, the nger 42 will tend to force theyoke 55 upwardly, as hereinabove' described. However, the upwardmovement of the yoke member 50 will be limited bythe lip member 54 whichwill contact the stubshaft 43 beforerthe yoke 50 has moved such adistance Vas to permit the locking pin 5I to become disengaged from thelocking plate 25.

VThe stub-shaft 43 and the operatively associated Ybell-,crank operatinglever 4U may be rotated about the stub-shaftV as anaxis until theoperating handle 4I Yis substantially horizontal, Vas shown in Figs. 2and 3. With the stub-shaft 43 and bell-crank operating lever 40 thusrotated, the nger 42 of the bell-crank operating lever 40 will be incontact with a side portion 50h of the yoke member 50, as shown in Fig.3. The lip portion 54 of Yyoke 50 will then be substantially in contactwith the stub-shaft 43 and will prohibit any upward movement of the yokemember 50. Should the operating handle 4I be actuated inwardly, thenger42 will tend to rotate aboutv the pin 48. However, due to the presenceof the lside portion 50h of the yoke member 50, the iinger 42 will beprevented from rotation about the pin .49. Y

With the operating bell-crank member 4U in any position other thanvertical, as hereinabove described, it is` obvious that it will beimpossible to rotate such bell-crank member about the pin 49,.due to thecooperating action of the linger 42 with the portion 50a of yoke member50 and the lip portion 54 with the stub-shaft 43, or the singlecooperating action of the finger 42 with Vthe portion 50h of yoke 50.

When the bell-crank operating lever 40 is in the vertical position, asshown in Figs. 4 and 5, the eccentrically mounted pin 31 will be ih thethe stub egizia-173 normal horizontal position and the clutch` member32; of the-transmissionv I6 will be disengaged from both driving pinions33 and 34. When the stub-shaft 43 is rotated counterclockwisesubstantially as shown in Fig. 2, the eccentrically mounted pin 31 willbe movedy vertically above such horizontal position, and the operativelyassociated clutch memberv 32 will likewise be moved upwardly. Asy theclutch memberv 32 moves up.- wardly, the upper protruding lip portion 36of the clutch member 32 will engage the cooperating notched portion 39of theupper pinion 33. Since the clutch member 32 is splined to thepower shaft I9, it is obvious that with the vertical movement of theclutch member 32, such clutch member 32 will provide an operativeconnection between the pinion 33 and the power. shaftA I9 and'cause thewringer rolls I3 and I4 to rotate in one direction. To have the wringerrolls rotate in an opposite direction, it is merely necessary tomanually rotate the stub-shaft 43 and operatively associated controlbell-crank member 40 in the clockwise direction. The clutch member 32will then become operatively engagedwith thev pinion v34y connectingsuch pinion with the powery shaft I9 as hereinabove described.

It is, therefore, obvious that with the operating handle 4I in avertical position, the clutch member 32 of the transmission I6 will bedisengaged from both pinions 33 yand 34A and the power shaft I9 will bedisconnected from-such pinions, and the bell-crank operating lever 4l]Vwill be in such a position that the locking device I8 may be readilyoperated to unlock such device and permit the wringer to be swung aboutthe Vertical axis, as hereinabove described.

Likewise, it is obvious that, as the operating handle 4I and operativelyassociated stub-shaft 43 are rotated, the clutching member 32 ofthetranmission I6 will be moved from a neutral or inoperative position toan operative position, and that the lip portion 54 of the yoke member 50and the finger 42 will become operatively associated with the stub-shaft43 and the side portion 50h of the yoke member 50, respectively; and,therefore, that the power shaft I9 will become operatively associatedwith either pinion and the locking device I8 will be in an inoperativeposition, as hereinabove described.

If it be desired, a die-cast cap 65 may be rigidly attached to thetransmission housing I5 and operatively associated with the controlmechanism I1 so as to prevent the oil, located in the transmissionhousing, from leaking out along the operating handle 40. The cap 65may'have an oil tight fit with the shoulder 45A and may have a bearing68 within which the yoke 50' may be slidably mounted. However, it is tobe understood that the cap 65 may be of any shape or size desired andmay be operatively associated with the control mechanism I1 in anysuitable manner so as to provide an effective oil seal for such controlmechanism.

Referring to Figs, 8, 9 and 10, I show a modified form of the stub-shaft43 comprising a sleeve member 60 and a stub-shaft 43a which is journaledwithin the sleeve 68. The outside diameter of the sleeve 60 issubstantially equal to the diameter of the stub-shaft 43. The sleeve 6Uhas the tapered slot 48 cut therein, whilethe main slotted portion 41 islocated within the stub-shaft 43a. The open portion comprisingl the mainslotted portion 41 and the tapered slot portion 4'8- are substantiallyequal in. sizeandshape to the. slotted portion 46. located within the:stub shaft 43 as hereinabove described.

The stub-shaft 43a. comprises a shaft portion 431) and the shoulder 45.With the stub-shaft 43 located in operative engagement within the sleeve69, the annular notched portion 44 is located between the shoulder 45and the sleeve 60. Since the outside diameter ofthe sleeve 89 issubstantially equal to the diameter of the stub-shaft 43, the sleeve 60may be readily placed within the aperture 39 located in the housing I5.Thelip 6I integral with the sleeve 69 will then prevent the sleeve 60from sliding out of the housing I5 and permits the sleeve 60 to berigidly atttached to the housing in any suitable manner.

The bell-crank operating lever 40 may be mounted within the stub shaft43a by inserting the pin 49 within the aperture 49a of stub shaft 43d.With the bell-cranky operating lever 40 located within the stub shaft43a, the finger 42 thereof will, as the handle 4 I is actuated inwardly,move upwardly within the tapered slot 48 located within the sleeve 60.It is therefore apparent that the bell-crank operating lever 40 willreadily swing about the pin 49 solong as finger 42 is in line with thetapered slot portion 48 of the sleeve 60.

Should the bell-crank operating lever 49 and the operatively associatedstub shaft 43a be rotated substantially as shown in Fig. 10, with thefinger 42 located within the slotted portion 41, the finger will beprevented from rotating about the pin 49 by the presence of the sleeve60. It is, therefore, apparent that should the operating lever 49 andoperatively associated stub-- shaft 43a be rotated about the stub-shaftas an axis, to even a small degree, the sleeve 30 will prohibit theinward movement of the operating handle 4I and will prevent any bindingof parts between the operating mechanism I1 and the locking device I8.

A flange 19, shown in Fig. 11, may be associated with the transmissionhousing I5 as a further modication for preventing the inward movement of'the operating handle 4I, except when such handle is in a verticalposition. The flange 10 may be cast integral with the housing I5 or maybe a separate piece rigidly attached thereto. The flange will extendoutwardly in such a manner that the upper inner surface of the handle 4Iwill contact the flange with a slight inward movement of such handle.The handle 4I will then be prevented from any further inward movement,and, therefore, when in such a position, will not be capable ofoperating the locking device I8.

A notch 1I may be located within the flange 19 at a lower centralposition to permit the handle 4I to be moved inwardly, when such handleis in a substantially vertical position. The notch 1I should be slightlylarger than the width of handle 4I to permit easy access of such handletherein. By so limiting the width of the notch 1I, the handle 4I will beprohibited from any inward movement except when it is directly in linewith such notch, or in substantially a Vertical position.

It is, therefore, obvious that the flange 10 with notch 1I will preventthe operation of the locking device I8 except when the operating handle4I is in a vertical position, and, accordingly prevent the operation ofthe locking device I8 except when the power shaft I9 is disconnectedfrom wringer rolls I3 and I4.

In operating a wringer embodying, my invention, in whichrthe wringer iscontrolled by means of a single operating lever 4l, as hereinabovedethis change, the Wringer remainsV locked in its Y set position due tothe cooperation of Vthe locking pin 5l and the locking plate 25. VIf theoperator should wish to swing the wringer from one position to another,it becomes necessary to move the operating lever d! to a verticalposition, where, as hereinabove described, ,the wringer Il may bedisconnected from the power shaft I9.

With the operating lever di in the vertical position, it is merelynecessary to push such lever inwardly, whereupon the locking pin 5l willbecome disengaged from the looking plate 25, in a manner hereinabovedescribed, permitting the wringer to be swung about the power shaft I9as an axis. When the wringer has been Yswung into the desired position,the operator merely withdraws the pressure from the operating lever 4l,permitting the resilient spring 53 to bias the locking pin 5ldownwardly. Should the wringer be slightly away'from a predeterminedadjustable position, the locking pin 5i will rest upon the locking plate25. vThewringer may then be moved slightly until the snoutV 5l oflocking pin 5l becomes engaged Within the aperture 23. It

is to be understood that the operatingV lever il can be moved from theverticalposition only when the locking pin 5Iv is operatively engagedwith the locking plate 25, as hereinabove described. With Vthe wringerlocated'in its newly adjusted position, the operator may then rotate theoperating handle ii in whichever direction desired about the stub shaft133 as an axis to engage the wringer rolls with the power shaft.

It is, therefore, obvious that the Yoperating mechanism embodying myinvention may selectively operate either the transmission or the lockingdevice and will permit the transmission to be in a neutral positionwithout'unlocking the wringer. However, it is to be understood that thelocking device can be operated only when Vthe transmission is in aneutral position, or, in other words, when the operating handle is in avertical position.

Various modications may be madeV in the device embodying my inventionwithoutdeparting fromV the spirit and scope thereof, and I desire,therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as areimposed by the prior art and by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. A wringer adapted for adjustment to vdii4 ferent working positions, aroll-driving and reversing mechanism including a clutch, locking meansfor holding said wringer in its adjusted positions, a rotatably mountedhollow stub-shaft having means thereon for operating the clutch, anoperating member comprising a handle and a finger swingably mounted in asubstantially vertical plane within the hollow stub-shaft, meanscomprising the finger for actuating the locking means when the handle isbiased inwardly and for rotating the stub-shaft as the handle isrotatively biased, and means for preventing the actuation oi the lockingmeans except when the clutch is in a neutral position.

2. In a wringer adapted for adjustment to different Working positions, aroll-driving and reversing mechanism including a clutch, locking meansincluding a yoke member and a locking pin for holding said wringer inits adjusted position, a rotatably mounted stub-shaft having meansthereon for Voperating the clutch, an operating member` swingably,mounted within the stubshaft, said yoke member operatively associatedwith the stub-shaft and the operating member, and means comprising theoperating member for selectively actuating either the clutch or thelocking means.

3. In a Wringer adapted for adjustment to different working positions, aroll-driving and reversing mechanism including a clutch, locking meansincluding a yoke member and a locking pin for. holding said wringer inits adjusted position, a rotatably mounted stub-shaft having meansthereon for operating the clutch when said stub-shaft is rotated, anoperating member comprising a handle and a finger swingably mountedwithin the stub-shaft, said yoke member operatively associated with thestub-shaft and the finger, means comprising the finger for actuating thelocking device when the handle is biased inwardly and for rotating thestub-shaft as the handle is rotatively biased, and means comprising theyoke for preventing the actuation of the locking means except 'when theclutch is in a neutral position. Y

4. In combination, a wringer mounted for adjustment in different workingpositions, a rolldriving and reversing mechanism including a clutch,means for operating said clutch, locking means comprising a yoke memberoperatively associated with saidY clutch operating means and a lockingmember for holding the wringer in one of its adjusted positions, andinterlocking means including said yoke for actuating the locking memberwhen said clutch is in a neutral position.

5. InVV combination, a wringer mounted for adjustment in differentWorking positions, a rolldriving and reversing mechanism Vincluding aclutch, a stub-shaft having means thereon for operating the clutch,locking means comprising a yoke member operatively associated with saidstub-shaft and a locking member for holding the wringer inrone of vitsadjusted positions, an operating member operatively associated With thestub-shaft and the yoke'member for selectively actuating either theclutch or thelocking member, and interlocking means including said yokemember for preventing the actuation of the locking Ymember-except whenthe Yclutch is in a neutral position. Y

6. Ina wringer adapted for adjustment to different working positions, aroll-driving and reversing mechanism including aV clutch, a lockingmember for holding said wringer in its adjusted position, a hollowstub-shaft havingmeans thereon for operating the clutch,.a bell-cranklever comprising an operating handle and a nger, said finger beingoperatively associated with said stubshaft within the hollow thereof andwith the locking member, and means comprising said operating handle forselectively actuating eitherV the clutch or the locking member. v

7. In a wringer adapted for adjustment to different working positions, aroll-driving and reversing mechanism including a clutch, a lockingdevice comprising a yoke memberand a locking pin for holding saidWringer inits adjusted position, a slotted stub-shaft having meansthereon for operating the clutch, a bell-crank member Y comprising anoperating handle and a finger, said member, and means comprising saidoperating handle for selectively actuating either the clutch or thelocking device.

8. In a Wringer adapted for adjustment to different Working positions, aroll-driving and reversing mechanism including a clutch, a lockingdevice comprising a yoke member and a locking pin for holding saidwringer in its adjusted position, a stub-shaft having a slot and havingmeans thereon for operating the clutch, a bellcrank member comprising anoperating handle and a finger, said finger being operatively associatedWith said slot and with the yoke member, means comprising said operatinghandle for selectively actuating either the clutch or the lockingdevice, and means comprising the yoke member for preventing theactuation of the locking means except when the clutch is in a neutralposition. l

9. In combination, a structure mounted for adjustrnent in differentWorking positions around a substantially vertical axis, a reversingmechanism including a clutch operable along said axis, means foroperating said clutch, locking means operatively associatedwith saidclutch-operating means 'and comprising a locking member for holding saidstructure in one of its adjusted positions, manually operable meansrotatable around a substantially horizontal axis for actuating saidclutch from a neutral to a Working position, said manually operablemeans being rotatable around a second substantially horizontal axis foractuating said locking member when said clutch is in a neutral position.

l0. In combination, a structure mounted for adjustment in diierentworking positions around a substantially vertical axis, a reversingmechanism including a clutch operable along said axis, means foroperating said clutch, locking means operatively associated with saidclutch-operating means and comprising' a locking member for holding saidstructure in one of its adjusted posii tions, manually operable meansrotatable around a substantially horizontal axis for actuating saidclutch from a neutral to a Working position, said manually operablemeans being rotatable around a second substantially horizontal axis atsubstantially right angles to the first-named horizontal axis foractuating said locking member when said clutch is in a verticalposition.

1l. In combination, a structure mounted for adjustment in differentworking positions around a substantially vertical axis, a reversingmechanism including a clutch operable along said axis, means foroperating said clutch, locking means operatively associated with saidclutch-operating means and comprising a locking member for holding saidstructure in one of its adjusted positions, an operatingdevice pivotedat substantially right angles to said axis and adapted When moved in onedirection around the pivot to correspondingly move said locking memberwhen said clutch is in a neutral position; said operating device Whenmoved in another direction actuating said clutch from a neutral tov aworking position. e

12. In combination, a structure mounted for adjustment in differentworking positions around a substantially vertical axis, a reversingmechanism including a clutch operable along said axis, means foroperating said clutch, locking means operatively associated with saidclutch-operating means and comprising a locking member for holding saidstructure in one of its adjusted positions, an operating device pivotedat substantially right angles to said axis and adapted when moved in onedirection around the pivot to correspondingly move said locking memberwhen said clutch is in a neutral position; said operating device whenmoved` about an axis at substantially right angles to the first-namedaxis and also to said pivot actuating said clutch from a neutral to aWorking position.

FLOYD S. WHEELER.

